Team Andromeda
Member
Thought this would have been done sooner.
Shame it looks like now we'll never get an O.TO.GI 3
Shame it looks like now we'll never get an O.TO.GI 3
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[Reuters] Exclusive-Sony in talks to buy media powerhouse behind 'Elden Ring', sources say
- Thread starter Insanemaelstrom
- Start date
- News
Gaiff
SBI’s Resident Gaslighter
If they do that, I do think this will negatively impact their PS business. The big problem is that it'll do nothing for PlayStation while incentivizing potential PS customers and even current ones to just move or stay on PC. This will have an effect on PS+ and subscription services, which are major drivers for Sony. Obviously, charging for online on PC is out of the question. They could perhaps introduce some sort of subscription service to play older titles for a monthly fee and keep their premium games full price.
Sony has to be smart here because there is some overlap between PC and PS. Not nearly as much as some think, but still.
Oh, and let's not forget that this would also significantly hurt their internal studios who'll now have to ship a PC-ready version day 1. The polish expected from 1st-party games cannot be sacrificed just for PC.
thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
Coincidentally.....
I woke up late this morning. That NEVER happens unless something major's going down.
So trust me. This? It's gonna happen. Too much of a coincidence.
You know, I didn't consider that this could also be an anchor point to set up their own PS launcher. Souls games are insanely popular on PC, though I don't SIE would remove them from Steam even if they did a launcher.
But better/more optimized integration of some features between the games and their launcher, plus the launcher & console, would be a thing. Maybe bonuses & perks exclusive to their launcher, too. That said, all the trouble points you mentioned about a launcher's potential impact on the console are true.
Can see your concern, but I wouldn't worry too much about that. Anime is massive these days, but it still covers specific niches; I don't think you're gonna get Demon Slayer-themed maid cafes at Universal theme parks anytime soon (outside of Asia, for example.
Also in terms of how it impacts games, Kadokawa isn't SO large that it creates a debt burden to the gaming subsidiary and through that, basically forces them to go fully multiplatform while leaving the console to rot. It's nothing like an ABK situation, so I'm not gonna worry about PlayStation teaming up with IHOP for an hour-long cringe stream anytime soon.
I woke up late this morning. That NEVER happens unless something major's going down.
So trust me. This? It's gonna happen. Too much of a coincidence.
You know, I didn't consider that this could also be an anchor point to set up their own PS launcher. Souls games are insanely popular on PC, though I don't SIE would remove them from Steam even if they did a launcher.
But better/more optimized integration of some features between the games and their launcher, plus the launcher & console, would be a thing. Maybe bonuses & perks exclusive to their launcher, too. That said, all the trouble points you mentioned about a launcher's potential impact on the console are true.
Can see your concern, but I wouldn't worry too much about that. Anime is massive these days, but it still covers specific niches; I don't think you're gonna get Demon Slayer-themed maid cafes at Universal theme parks anytime soon (outside of Asia
, for example.Also in terms of how it impacts games, Kadokawa isn't SO large that it creates a debt burden to the gaming subsidiary and through that, basically forces them to go fully multiplatform while leaving the console to rot. It's nothing like an ABK situation, so I'm not gonna worry about PlayStation teaming up with IHOP for an hour-long cringe stream anytime soon.
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midnightAI
Banned
It is..... depending on the country you are in
Crunchyroll is accessible to PS Plus Premium/Deluxe subscriber in these countries with more expected to be added this year:
- Australia
- Canada
- Denmark
- Finland
- Ireland
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Portugal
- Poland
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
- United States of America
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James Sawyer Ford
Member
They may drop ps+ paywall requirements for online play and just have it come with other perks
The net gain in of customers from additional 30% cut from third parties and first parties may more than offset the loss of ps+ subs
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splattered
Member
1) FromSoftware may not want to be owned by Sony.
2) Sony may not want to spend the money it would take if it includes From.
3) I'm sure there are other reasons but i'm not gonna sit and go down that rabbit hole.
I'm not really for or against acquisitions either way, i just think it's funny certain people are jumping up and down over this when they were screaming bloody murder about the dumb Activision acquisiton.
Thick Thighs Save Lives
NeoGAF's Physical Games Advocate Extraordinaire
They sometimes run Crunchyroll promos for PlayStation users. Got 2 free months of Crunchyroll Premium, presumably because I'm a PS+ subscriber (though I'm not 100% sure).
rofif
Can’t Git Gud
Lego bloodborne would slay
Zacfoldor
Member
XXL
Member
If they do their own PC store they should 100% remove them from other stores like Steam.
If they aren't doing their own store, launch them on Steam too regardless if it's Day 1 or down the road.
tmlDan
Member
His down bad
he should be more worried about his own career, i'd never hire a lawyer this stupid. He thinks they would have to buy it at a premium of $15B or more...when the companies valuation is 1/5th that
hououinkyouma00
Member
I'm not a fan of all of these acquisitions, but I do agree that this is one of those that actually make some sense unlike Bethesda/Bungie. Not quite to the point of the Insomniac acquisition but it at least makes sense business wise.
Tiago Rodrigues
Member
Yeah it's weird how Sony's different companies don't even seem to talk to each other. In fact Crunchyroll was a perk for Gamepass a while ago, lmao.
thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
Bungie took themselves down that way, not SIE. SIE were very hands-off with Bungie until more recently. Blame Pete Parsons for Bungie's management problems.
It’s an asset that aligns well with their current business. This wouldn’t just be about From. Sony is big on anime. They want to be a multimedia powerhouse. Owning Elden Ring is just a bonus.
ChorizoPicozo
Member
wait a fricking minute... would acquiring this company be a little more expensive than what they paid for Bungie?....
thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
Why am I not even surprised? Once again, they just show they're corpo apologists but only if that corporation is Microsoft. Imagine claiming you're a progressive but defending a $3 trillion global conglomerate.
Their existence is an oxymoron.
TBH I think Zenimax did make sense for Microsoft but mainly for Bethesda. Bethesda have a history with DOS & Windows similar to FromSoft with PlayStation, and MS did invest in them back in the early '00s which helped form Zenimax in the first place. Morrowind was an OG Xbox console exclusive and Oblivion a timed 360 console exclusive, too, so there's been a lot of history of close partnerships & exclusivity between Microsoft and Bethesda.
But the same can't be said for most of the other Zenimax studios, and couldn't be said at all about ABK. No close history between Microsoft & them, so it just looked like soulless market consolidation.
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Tiago Rodrigues
Member
jm89
Member
Mephisto40
Member
It's a limited version you get access to, which doesn't include everything on crunchyroll, just select shows and movies. And it's not a direct crunchyroll subscription, you need to access the content via the sony picture catalogue
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They would be celebrating if MS were buying Kadokawa.
Mibu no ookami
Banned
If they locked in pricing before this leaked out you'd be looking at, at most 2.7B in market cap with maybe as little as a 1.25 premium.
Could be as little as 3.375 billion or could be as much as 4.05 billion (or it could be higher if they haven't locked pricing in).
Bungie was 2.4 billion dollars with an additional 1.2 billion in retention bonuses much of which probably weren't paid out due to layoffs and restructuring. So probably closer to 3 billion dollars.
I doubt they would do retention bonuses at Kadokawa.
Sanepar
Member
You need to remember admins there are xbox mvps. There is plenty ms and xbox employess shadowed as regular users there. Everything from Sony is negative there and everything from MS they are always cheering up. That forum is a joke an inception xbox house to convince people they are the underdog and should be allowed to buy the whole industry to make mandatory rent.
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James Sawyer Ford
Member
Glad the ambassador program has ended, but these chumps still work for free
Sanepar
Member
I don't believe is for free. Originals admins left. Ghostcrew is the most ridiculous xbox fanboy.
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
I have full faith that regulatory body with morals like the CMA will stand up against this disastrous corporate consolidation attempt
James Sawyer Ford
Member
I have full faith that regulatory body with morals like the CMA will stand up against this disastrous corporate consolidation attempt
If only FromSoft cost 70B and not just 1/25th the size…
Topher
Identifies as young
I have full faith that regulatory body with morals like the CMA will stand up against this disastrous corporate consolidation attempt
We like CMA now, do we?
POKEYCLYDE
Member
This is still in rumor territory right?
mansoor1980
Member
yes and thats what makes the melt downs hilarious
Sony may force them to make easy mode, you should celebrate with us not being saltyI have full faith that regulatory body with morals like the CMA will stand up against this disastrous corporate consolidation attempt
Topher
Identifies as young
Yeah, but considering this is coming from Reuters I'm thinking it might be legit.
thismeinteil
Member
adamsapple
Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
I'm also a big fan of Lina Khan now, wish she would hang around after January.
The only silver lining. Elden Ring 2 with the typical Sony suite of accessibility options would be fantastic.
No. If Reuters is the source it means talks are actually happening.
The Cartographer
Member
I thought this was just about FromSoftware so I was, like, whatever, their future games will most likely also released on PC, but the fuckers at Sony want to buy the whole company? Fuck that shit, absolutely fuck that shit.
The moment Sony buys Kadokawa is the moment comic magazines like Harta and Comic Beam are scrapped and all their anime productions become a cesspool of political correctness.
God, please make the talks fall apart already or make whatever regulatory body break the deal.
The moment Sony buys Kadokawa is the moment comic magazines like Harta and Comic Beam are scrapped and all their anime productions become a cesspool of political correctness.
God, please make the talks fall apart already or make whatever regulatory body break the deal.
PaintTinJr
Member
You joke, but on the animation side of things they might have to sell off and rent back the TV streaming rights from someone like AolTimeWarnerI have full faith that regulatory body with morals like the CMA will stand up against this disastrous corporate consolidation attempt
But in all seriousness that could be a possibility except I think the title is misleading and I suspect FromSoftware don't have the rights for an Elden Ring 2, given the game was based on work by a famous author, and the author might still own rights to any sequel.
midnightAI
Banned
Ah, ok, fair enough, I don't watch it so wouldn't know, I just knew they had something on there for PremiumIt's a limited version you get access to, which doesn't include everything on crunchyroll, just select shows and movies. And it's not a direct crunchyroll subscription, you need to access the content via the sony picture catalogue
mansoor1980
Member
lina khan stopping consolidation in japan?
midnightAI
Banned
Has it affected their other anime and manga purchases? Are they a 'cesspool of political correctness'?
thicc_girls_are_teh_best
Member
But why would Miyazaki want out unless you're suggesting Sony would force SIE to force From Software into development conditions Miyazaki wont' accept?
It'd take a lot for that scenario to occur IMO. SIE will still let Miyazaki make the games he wants, provide the funding he needs, and release on as many platforms he wants. They're not gonna force conditions he wouldn't like, so if Miyazaki is fine with a publisher like Kadokawa already owning most of From Software, why would he be upset if that ownership simply transferred to Sony, who'd likely delegate responsibilities to SIE who'd simply treat From Software like how Kadokawa and Bandai-Namco already do?
The only thing that'd likely change is SIE publishing future From Software games instead of Bandai-Namco, outside of any contracts Bandai-Namco already have set up. Even then it's likely SIE would work something out with Bandai-Namco. There's literally nothing in this specific M&A that would make Miyazaki leave, as far as I can tell.
Unless there's something I'm missing?
If that's the case he would've left when Kadokawa bought 66% of From Software. I think you guys have it mistaken; creatives tend to leave if a big corporation buys them AND that corporation has a culture & history of suppressing the creative process, usually through poor management or overbearing management that prevents them from creating what they want.
Generally speaking, Sony don't have those issues, particularly on the gaming side. Historically speaking, anyway. After Concord, I don't think I'd want Hulst having any say in what From Software should or shouldn't be doing, so if this all goes through, he should just be Miyazaki's Yes-man. Miyazaki asks for something, Hulst approves without question or stipulation, because Miyazaki knows what he's doing.
Hulst, you gotta redeem yourself after Concord & LEGO Horizon, and staying on Miyazaki's good side is a solid start towards that
.
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Topher
Identifies as young
I'm also a big fan of Lina Khan now, wish she would hang around after January.
Maybe she can correct some past wrongs in the time she has left.
The Cartographer
Member
They don't publish any manga (and it better stay that way)
As for anime production/distribution, yes on the Crunchyroll side and not so much for now on the Aniplex side.
noob smokes
Member
Sonys on that king kong shit remember they sitting on 20bil after that paramount deal fell thru interesting times ahead i dont see them buying outright more likely to increase the stake in kady
They themselves put their company up for auction on the stock market... Do you even think before writing? I think they are comfortable there, and they don't think about it. Players sometimes overdramatize the situation, it's just a regular business - big guys make big money. If he is not satisfied with something in his work, he will leave and open a new studio, and if he is satisfied with everything, he will continue to work as before. For him, any trades through the stock market are additional investments in game development.